Shop Etsy: Name Bar Necklace by Luca Jewelry, and Evil Eye Necklace

These are two of my most recent Etsy purchases, which I adore! Both necklaces are delicate gold pieces, which draws me to them even more; I am not really a jewelry wearer to begin with, so when I do have anything on, I like it to be simple, thin, and subtle (unless, of course, it's a big piece of costume jewelry meant to stand out) — most of my jewelry choices are last minute additions to my outfit, so I make sure that most of my pieces can go with just about anything I have on.

The first necklace I ordered is a beautiful name bar necklace. Initially, I wanted a good old-fashioned nameplate, but then, I saw this as an option and fell in love! I opted not to have my name printed, but instead, the roman numerals for 127 (my favorite Shakespearean sonnet). These necklaces would make awesome gifts, as they're totally customizable, and reasonably priced ($48)!

The second necklace that I ordered is an evil eye (obviously). It is a symbol used in many cultures as protection from evil and negative spirits. Because I need all the protection from negativity that I can get, I own several other pieces of evil eye jewelry, but I wanted a more minimalist take (ie. not a glass eye, and without rhinestones — why do all evil eye jewelry contain rhinestones now?), and I loved the idea of having a simple gold necklace that I could wear daily.

I love wearing them together, because they represent me in an abstract way. I could've easily gone with my name, but I found two symbols which mean a great deal to me. I'm pretty much done buying jewelry for the sake of having it (I almost never wear it), so I think a purge is in order, and I'll build a more carefully curated collection of things that actually mean something to me, rather than just buying yet another trendy piece I don't need.

What about you guys? What's in your jewelry collection that you love, and what are some things you need to let go of?